The Greatest Miracle of All

The Greatest Miracle of All - Published in the Holland Sentinel on December 17, 2007

As we watch the news and read the papers, we realize there are many misconceptions about Christmas and about miracles.

Christmas is not a season of tolerance. It is a season of love. Christmas is not a season of worry. It is a season for worship. Christmas is not a season of praising friends and family members. It is a season for glorifying God.

Christmas is not a season of decorations and presents under the tree. It is a season for acknowledging the presence of God in our lives. To be honest, Christmas is not even a season of giving. It is actually the season for receiving the greatest gift of all.

Christmas is also a season where we recognize the miracles of God. But which of them is the greatest miracle of all?

Was it the creation of the earth, all the animals and man? Was it the flood and the saving of Noah and his family? Was it the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Was it the ten plagues sent against Egypt or the parting of the Red Sea? Was it the dropping of the walls around Jericho? Was it the saving of Daniel in the lion's den? There are so many miracles to choose from in the early years.

How about the miracles surrounding the first coming of the Christ? Was it the visits from the angels to Mary and Joseph? Was it the birth of John the Baptist to the barren woman, Elizabeth?

Was it the immaculate conception bestowed upon the virgin, Mary? Was it the incarnation of God through his son, Jesus Christ? Was it the star the led the wise men to the King of kings? Was it the appearance of the angels who proclaimed the arrival of our savior?

Maybe the greatest miracle was one performed by Christ himself. Jesus healed the sick and cured the lepers. He gave sight to the blind and brought sound to the ears of the deaf. Jesus gave voice to the mute and caused the lame to walk. He turned water into wine and fed thousands with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. He walked on water and calmed the greatest of storms. Jesus even raised the dead and was raised himself on the third day. Was one of these the greatest miracle of all?

While all of the miracles in the Bible are fantastic and all of the miracles experienced today are wonderful, there is still one that stands taller than the rest. Most people would not even consider listing it as a miracle, yet this reoccurring event is the motive behind the first coming of Christ.

It was a miracle first proclaimed by Jesus before he healed a paralyzed man. It is a miracle that has been repeated millions of times over. The greatest miracle of them all is the forgiveness of sin.

Jesus came to this earth to forgive sins, as only he can do. John 3:16 is quite possibly the most famous verse in all of Scripture. It tells us that God loves us all so much that he sent his one and only Son to give us the gift of eternal life. This gift is available to all who would believe in the Christ.

But what does it mean to believe in Jesus? One need look no farther than the first words preached by Jesus Christ, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

When we repent, he forgives. Once we are forgiven, we receive the greatest of all gifts, eternal life. What greater miracle could there be than that?

Therefore, as we reflect on the reason for the season, let us not forget the reason for the reason. Jesus is the reason for the season and forgiveness is reason Jesus came to be with us.